Lintel



Oct. 3l, 1944.

D. H. DRAYER LINTEL Filed Jan. 23. 1942 IL llI n L H l gwen/Wto@ @anula 'aosofv/PA ne@ -age by re.

Patented Oct. 31, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .-LmaEL Donald vHudson "Drayer, Brookmont, Md. Application January 23, 19.42, .Serial No. 427,979

` .5 claims. `(ci. 'i2-59) v The principal object kof thisdnvention isyto provide lintels for horizontal arches `of building openings which are light in construction, of sufficient strength to withstand the stresses -placed thereupon and adapted for placement into the usual mortar joint `between two horizontally ldisposed lcourses of bricks and tov-associate therewith suitable adjustable anchoring means for tying to or suspending therefrom thelower course of bricks. In some vinstances it may be desirable Lto direct some of the anchoring means upwardly as well as downwardly so as to form an 'interlock between the two adjacent brick courses and the lintel.

The usual practice of supporting masonry over an opening is to place one or more angle irons of proper weight and rstrength at the head of an opening under the bricks, which construction is intended to care for both 'the tensile and Vcom'- pression stresses. Inthis case `thelintel is 4exposed to the elements as well as possible dam Another construction employed is the common reinforcing bars positioned in the mortar joint with no means for supporting the lower course of bricks.

The present invention has all of the desired advantages of the known art and is far superior from the standpoint of economy in the use of metal, appearance and stability and further lends itself readily to the trade for. the reason that in placing my lintel in position with the associated anchors lodged in the vertical mortar joints of the bricks no part of the construction is in the way to prevent the usual application and troweling of the mortar prior to laying the next course of bricks in position.

My invention consists in the special formation of the lintel plates or bars, the associated anchoring means and arrangement of parts as herein set forth.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the masonry construction alone with the invention shown in full lines for a clearer understanding of the details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my lintel `with anchors in position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

' Fig. 5 is a Vertical sectional view of a modified form. l

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another modification; and

Fig. 7 shows a vertical cross section similar to similar reference characters Fig. 5 disclosing the use of a plurality of rei-nforcing bars. Y

In the ldrawing illustrations of some of the embodiments of my invention are shown and indicate corresponding parts'in all `of the views. Noting Fig. l you will find set forth therein a masonry structure including several courses of bricks, an `opening which maybe for a window, a door, or like `structure and `a 'general showing of the lintel of this invention in dotted lines at 8, placed in the mortar joint between the iirst and second courses of bricks, directly above the head `of `the 4opening yand extending for some distance beyond said opening soas to obtain a suitable supportin 'the masonry structure. In order to firmly hold the lintel in position and to `augment its resistance against the tensile stresses .placed up'on the same, the end portionsare bent at right Vangles as at 9 to `be embeddedin some of the vertical mortar joints. Associated with the lintel are a plurality of adjustable anchoring means taking the general form `of staples, nails orthe like, as indicated at I, which Aare placed into the mortar joint before the same has had time to set thereby preventing the destruction of the join-t and the formation of'any voidstherein which would produce an inferior structure. It is `advisable inV some instances to direct certain ones of the anchors vertically, as `shown at II, in orderfto tie the two courses of bricks and the lintel together as a unit.

In Fig. `2 only a portion of the lintel is shown so as to enlarge the view for a better under# standing of the invention. In this showing the `lintel 8 takes the form of a metal plate of sufficient width and thickness to withstand the stresses placed upon it, but not one which'would require increasing the size of the mortar joint.

The upturned end of the lintel is clearly shown at 9 as embedded in the joint I2 and in order to more securely hold the lintel in position additional ties may be provided as indicated at I3. The tie may take any one of a number of different forrns, but I am illustrating only the simpler types consisting of either prongs or loops stamped from the body of the material. The anchoring staples here shown at I0 as straddling the lintel plate and directed downwardly have their leg portions indented or provided with spurs I4 directed upwardly so as to form an interlock with the mortar and firmly unite the bricks with the'lintel. The purpose of directing the spurs upwardly is to permit the staple to be inserted in the mortar joint without disturbing to any great extent the arrangement of the joint and thereby prevent the formation of any pockets.

In view of the fact that the staples are not attached to the lintel but are adjustably associated therewith it is possible to place said staples in the mortar joint regardless of their occurrence due to possible variations in the sizes of bricks.

Fig. 3 clearly illustrates a portion of my lintel construction with an anchoring staple I0, shown in position, and the end 9 bent at right angles thereto with an additional feature of size indication at l5. This stamping of the size on the lintel by the manufacturer, as in the present case, is for use in lconnection with three foot five inch openings, and will prevent any accidental misuse of the lintel and possibly defective construction.

Fig. 4 shows how the anchor I 0 straddles the lintel 8.

Fig. 5 discloses a modication wherein a reinforcing bar I6 is substituted for the lintel plate of Fig. 3. The ends of this bar I6 are bent at right angles for the same purpose as that of the lintel plate. The construction illustrated in Fig. 7 is identical with that of Fig. 5 excepting that three reinforcing bars the leg connecting portions staples l0 are elongated so the bars.

Fig. 6 sets forth a further modification of my invention wherein the lintel plate 8 is provided with numerous elongated openings or slots I8 which serve the dual purpose of receiving the I6 are employed and l1 of the anchoring as to straddle all of headed anchoring nails I9 as well as producing the proper interlock between the lintel and the mortar. It will be noted that the slots are of -such length as to overlap thereby permitting the full adjustment of the anchoring nails with respect to the motrar joints. As here shown the anchoring nails are crimped or corrugated at 20 but any other design may be employed so lon-g as a proper anchor is obtained without the destruction of the mortar joint.

While lintels are herein shown as manufactured from sheet or bar stock the same may be equally as well constructed from fabricated material and it is understood that this lintel is to be employed in connection with all types of masonry of block formation, such as brick, cement or cinder blocks.

Having fully disclosed and described my improvement in lintel constructions, what I claim as new is:

1. A lintel for masonry constructions comprising a horizontally disposed metallic member embedded in the mortar joint between two vertically spaced courses of bricks at the head of an opening and U-shaped anchoring means mounted in adjusted positions longitudinally of the metallic member and overlying the same, the anchoring means having legs extending below the metallic member and anchored in the vertical mortar joints of the lower course of bricks.

2. A lintel for masonry constructions comprisl ing a metallic member embedded in the mortar joint between two vertically spaced courses of bricks at the head of an opening, and U-shaped anchoring means having leg portions provided With deformations overlying and partially enveloping said metallic member, said leg portions extending below said metallic member and anchored in the vertical mortar joints of the lower course of bricks.

3. A lintel for masonry constructions comprising a metallic member embedded in a mortar joint between two vertically spaced courses of bricks at the head of the opening, and U-shaped brick anchoring means resting on said metallic member with the leg portions thereof positioned outside of and extending below the edges of the metallic member and anchored in the vertical mortar joints of the lower course of bricks.

4. A lintel for masonry constructions comprising a ilat metallic member embedded. in a mortar joint between two vertically spaced courses of bricks at the head of an opening, and U-shaped anchoring means resting on said metallic member with the leg portions thereof positioned outside of and extending below the edges of the metallic member and extending part way only through the Vertical mortar joints of the lower course of bricks, said depending portions being vof irregular formation to interlock with the mor- DONALD HUDSON DRAYER. 

